1) Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of primary care health services; 
2) Effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in particular antidiabetic drugs,
    antihypertensive drugs and lipid lowering agents using target trial emulation; 
3) Innovative prediction model for non-communicable disease.
4) Epidemiology and pharmacotherapy in pregnancy. 

1. Wanchun Xu, Amanda L Lee, Cindy LK Lam, Goodarz Danaei, Eric YF Wan. Benefits and Risks Associated With Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention in Old and Very Old Adults: Real-World Evidence From a Target Trial Emulation Study. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/M24-000
   
   Impact Factor (2023): 19.6, Rank: 8/325 in Medicine, General & Internal
   
   This study used real-world data to confirm the benefits and safety of statin use for primary prevention of CVDs in the older population. This study provides significant evidence to support the prescribing statin therapy for the primary prevention of CVDs in this vulnerable population. This finding has been selected by the HKU for press release (https://www.hku.hk/press/press-releases/detail/27471.html), and has been widely report in the local and international media, and cover over 2 million followers in X users.
   
   
2. Eric YF Wan, Vincent KC Yan, Anna HY Mok, Boyuan Wang, Wanchun Xu, Franco WT Cheng, Francisco TT Lai, Celine SL Chui, Xue Li, Carlos KH Wong, Philip H Li, Benjamin J Cowling, Ivan FN Hung, Chak S Lau, Ian CK Wong, Esther WY Chan. Effectiveness of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A Target Trial Emulation Study. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2023 doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/M22-3057

    

   Impact Factor (2023): 19.6, Rank: 8/325 in Medicine, General & Internal

    

   This study showed molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir–ritonavir reduced all-cause mortality in both vaccinated and unvaccinated hospitalized patients. No significant reduction in ICU admission or the need for ventilatory support was observed. We are the first to use standard method of target trial emulation in Hong Kong. This study has been ranked excellent evidence rating level in 2 Minute Medicine, which is the leading authoritative medical news licensing service, and the only with reports written by practicing doctors.

    

3. Eric YF Wan; Sukriti Mathur, Ran Zhang, Vincent KC Yan; Francisco TT Lai, Celine SL Chui, Xue Li, Carlos KH Wong, Esther WY Chan, Kai Hang Yiu*, Ian CK Wong*. Association of COVID-19 with short- and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality: A prospective cohort in UK Biobank. Cardiovascular Research. 2023. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvac195

    

   Impact Factor (2023): 10.2, (Rank: 12/220 Cardiac & cardiovascular systems)

    

   COVID-19 infection, including long-COVID, is associated with increased short- and long-term risks of CVD and mortality. Ongoing monitoring of signs and symptoms of developing these cardiovascular complications post diagnosis and up till at least a year post recovery may benefit infected patients, especially those with severe disease. This work was selected for press release by the European Society of Cardiology. This finding has received more than 100 mentions in both local and international media, and has been referenced in more than 2,000 posts on social media. This paper is 3 out 4,073 highest-scoring outputs from Cardiovascular Research.

    

4. Eric YF Wan, Celine SL Chui, Francisco TT Lai, Esther WY Chan, Xue Li, Vincent KC Yan, Le Gao, Qiuyan Yu, Ivan CH Lam, Raccoon KC Chung, Benjamin J Cowling, WC Fong, Alexander YL Lau, Vincent CT Mok, Frank LF Chan, CK Lee, Lot ST Chan, Dawin Lo, KK Lau, Ivan FN Hung, Gabriel M Leung, Ian CK Wong. Bell's palsy following vaccination with mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a case series and nested case-control study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2021. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00451-5

    

   Impact Factor (2023): 36.4, Rank: 1/132 in Infectious diseases

    

   This study concluded that the beneficial and protective effects of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine far outweigh the risk of developing Bell’s palsy. The finding has garnered over 30 local and international media mentions, and have been cited in over 5,000 social media posts, and have awarded Outstanding Research Output Award from HKU Faculty of Medicine. This research showcased the impact of interdisciplinary collaborative efforts across HKU, the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, and the Department of Health, utilizing big clinical data analytics to generate real-world evidence for informing clinical practice. In term of policy and guideline changes, we are the first to provide evidence on the risk of Bell’s palsy subsequent to the CoronaVac vaccination. As a result of this study, Sinovac Biotech (Hong Kong) Limited gained obtained approval to include potential association of Bell’s palsy in the CoronaVac package insert globally. A similar warning has also been added to the Vaccination Fact Sheet for CoronaVac issued by the Department of Health in Hong Kong so that the vaccine recipients with the incidence of Bell’s palsy after vaccination can obtain compensation from the government in Hong Kong.

    

5. Eric YF Wan, Colman SC Fung, Frances FF Jiao, Esther YT Yu, WY Chin, Daniel YT Fong, Carlos KH Wong, Anca KC Chan, Karina HY Chan, Ruby LP Kwok, Cindy LK Lam. Five-Year Effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme–Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) on Diabetes-Related Complications and Health Service Uses—A Population-Based and Propensity-Matched Cohort Study. Diabetes Care 2018; 41:49-59 doi: 10.2337/dc17-0426

    

   Impact Factor (2023): 14.8, Rank: 6/187 in Endocrinology & Metabolism

    

   This naturalistic study highlighted the importance of early optimal DM control and risk factor management by risk stratification and multidisciplinary, protocol-driven, chronic disease model care to delay disease progression and prevent complications. This demonstrated the impact of collaborative research between the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Hospital Authority on big data analytics to generate real-world evidence to inform clinical practice. This excellent finding leads to the incorporation of this program into the diabetic management strategies of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. The research output was selected as a "Noteworthy Innovative Article" and being cited by the chief of editor in a guide on how to use big data for diabetes research in Diabetes Care. In addition, the findings have been widely cited internationally, such as the 2019 American Cardiology Committee/American Heart Association, which rated the research results as high-quality evidence for the primary prevention guidelines of cardiovascular disease. At the same time, the American Diabetes Association has included our finding in its "Diabetes Medical Standards" in 2020, 2021, and 2022 to recommend multidisciplinary risk screening and management in diabetic management guideline.

    

   Other selected Publications

    

   1. Wanchun Xu, Yuk Kam Yau, Yanyu Pan, Emily TY Tse, Cindy LK Lam, Eric YF Wan (Corresponding author). Effectiveness and safety of using statin therapy for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in older patients with chronic kidney disease who are hypercholesterolemic: a target trial emulation study. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2025 (IF = 13.4, 2/74 in GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY ) 
   2. Wanchun Xu, Vincent KC Yan, Zhijuan Zhang, KK Fung, KH Chan, Gary KK Lau, Celine SL Chui, Francisco TT Lai, Xue Li, Esther WY Chan, Ian CK Wong, Eric YF Wan (Corresponding author). Myasthenia gravis following statin therapy: evidence from target trial emulation and self-controlled case series study. Nature Communications. 2024 (IF= 14.7; Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology = 11/304)
   3. Franco WT Cheng, Wanchun Xu, Sydney CW Tang, Eric YF Wan (Corresponding author). Long-Term Benefits and Safety of Statins in Patients with Kidney Failure: A Target Trial Emulation Study. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2024. (IF= 10.3; Urology & Nephrology = 6/126)
   4. Eric YF Wan, Anna HY Mok, Vincent KC Yan, Cheyenne IY Chan, Boyuan Wang, Francisco TT Lai, Celine SL Chui, Xue Li, Carlos KH Wong, Kai Hang Yiu, Hung Fat Tse, CS Lau, Ian CK Wong, Esther WY Chan. Association between BNT162b2 and CoronaVac vaccination and risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality after COVID-19 infection: A population-based cohort study. Cell Reports Medicine. 2023 (IF= 11.7; MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL = 18/221)
   5. Yuan Wang, Wanchun Xu, Ivy Lynn Mak, Weng Yee Chin, Esther Yee Tak Yu, Cindy Lo Kuen Lam*, Eric YF Wan (Corresponding author). Trends of Clinical Parameters and Incidences of Diabetes Mellitus Complications Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Hong Kong, 2010-2019: A Retrospective Cohort Study. eClinicalMedicine. 2023. (in press) (IF: 9.6, MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL = 12/325)
   6. Eric YF Wan, Yuan Wang, Celine SL Chui, Anna HY Mok, Wanchun Xu, Vincent KC Yan, Francisco TT Lai, Xue Li, Carlos KH Wong, Esther WY Chan, Kui-Kai Lau, Benjamin J Cowling, Ivan FN Hung, Ian CK Wong. Safety of an inactivated, whole-virion COVID-19 vaccine (CoronaVac) in people aged 60 years or older in Hong Kong: a modified self-controlled case series. The Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2022; 3(7):e491-e500. doi: 10.1016/S2666-7568(22)00125-8 (IF = 13.4, 2/74 in GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY )
   7. Eric YF Wan, WY Chin, Esther YT Yu, Ian CK Wong, Esther WY Chan, Shirley X Li, Nico KL Cheung, Yuan Wang, Cindy LK Lam. The impact of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease on life expectancy and direct medical cost in a 10-year diabetes cohort study. Diabetes Care. 2020; doi: https://doi.org/10.2337/dc19-2137 (IF = 14.8, Endocrinology & Metabolism = 6/187)
   8. Eric YF Wan, WT Fung, C Mary Schooling, SL Au Yeung, Man-Ki Kwok, Esther YT Yu, Yuan Wang, Esther WY Chan, Ian CK Wong, Cindy LK Lam. Blood pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular disease in UK Biobank: A Mendelian randomization study. Hypertension. 2020. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16138 (IF = 7.2, Peripheral vascular disease = 12/64)
   9. Eric YF Wan, Esther YT Yu, WY Chin, Daniel YT Fong, Edmond PH Choi, Eric HM Tang, Cindy LK Lam. Burden of CKD and Cardiovascular Disease on Life Expectancy and Health Service Utilization: a Cohort Study of Hong Kong Chinese Hypertensive Patients. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2019; 30 (10) 1991-1999; doi: 10.1681/ASN.2018101037 (IF= 10.3; Urology & Nephrology = 6/126)
   10. Eric YF Wan, Esther YT Yu, WY Chin, Colman SC Fung, Daniel YT Fong, Edmond PH Choi, Anca KC Chan, Cindy LK Lam. Effect of Achieved Systolic Blood Pressure on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study. Diabetes Care. 2018; 41 (6): 1134-1141 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2337/dc17-2443. (IF = 14.8, Endocrinology & Metabolism = 6/187)

Professor Wan has received funding and support from:

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) – Excellent Young Scientist Fund (Hong Kong and Macau), Young Scientist Fund, China
• Research Grants Council (RGC), Hong Kong SAR
• Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR
• Department of Health, Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR
• Beat Drugs Fund Regular Funding Scheme, Narcotics Division, Security Bureau, Hong Kong SAR
• Social Welfare Department, Labour and Welfare Bureau, Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR

Selected Grants and Funding as Principal Investigator or Deputy Principal Investigator:

1. Best Poster Award “Preliminary observations of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme and the potential benefits in reducing diabetes and hypertension-related complications and medical costs” Primary Healthcare Summit 2024.
2. Best Poster Award “Title: Improving Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Detection in Primary Care – Effectiveness of Active Opportunistic Screening Using Point-of-Care Capillary HbA1c” Primary Healthcare Summit 2024.
3. Outstanding Poster Presentation Award “Optimising HbA1c Monitoring Intervals in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Based on Glycaemic Control Status: A Target Trial Emulation Study” Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2024, Hong Kong College of Family Physicians.
4. Best Oral Presentation Award “Optimizing the Frequency of Physician Encounters in Primary Care for Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Non-high Cardiovascular Risk: Using Population-based Data to Emulate a Target Trial for Comparative Effectiveness Study” Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2023, Hong Kong College of Family Physicians.
5. HKU Faculty Knowledge Exchange Award “Big-data pharmacovigilance of COVID-19 vaccines shapes public health policies” 2023.
6. HKU Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award “Carditis After COVID-19 Vaccination With a Messenger RNA Vaccine and an Inactivated Virus Vaccine: A Case-Control Study” 2023.
7. NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), 2022.
8. HKU Faculty of Medicine Outstanding Research Output Award (First author), 2022, on the paper titled “Analysis of Bell's Palsy Following Vaccination with mRNA (Comirnaty) and inactivated (CoronaVac) SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a case series and nested case-control study.”
9. Best Research Paper Award at Hong Kong Primary Care Conference (First author), Hong Kong College of Family Physicians, 2020, on the paper titled “Is chronic kidney disease equally important as cardiovascular disease in 3 million adults? A 10-year retrospective cohort study.”
10. Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP) Best Research Award (First author), Hong Kong College of Family Physicians, 2019, on the paper titled “Relative importance, healthy life-year lost and population attributable risk of modifiable risk factors on cardiovascular disease in a 10-year Diabetes Cohort.”
11. Best Research Paper Award of the 4th AMM-AMS-HKAM Tripartite Congress cum 53rd Singapore-Malaysia Congress of Medicine & Hong Kong Primary Care Conference (First author), Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, Academy of Medicine of Singapore, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Hong Kong College of Family Physicians, 2019 on the paper titled “Burden of chronic kidney and cardiovascular diseases on life expectancy and health service utilization - A cohort study of Hong Kong Chinese hypertensive patients.”
12. HKU Faculty of Medicine Outstanding Research Output Award (First author), 2019, on the paper titled “Five-Year Effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme–Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) on Diabetes-Related Complications and Health Service Uses—A Population-Based and Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.”
13. Best Contribution to Family Medicine Award (First author), World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), 2018, on the paper titled “Five-Year Effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme–Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) on Diabetes-Related Complications and Health Service Uses—A Population-Based and Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.”
14. 1^st Distinguished Research Making Family Medicine Shine Award (First author), World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), 2018, on the paper titled “Five-Year Effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme–Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) on Diabetes-Related Complications and Health Service Uses—A Population-Based and Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.”

Seeking MPhil/PhD candidates

We are seeking highly organized and motivated graduate students to conduct research in the areas of medication safety, pharmacoepidemiology, epidemiology, public health and health intervention/service using big data cohort. We are welcome any new research idea in these areas. For further information about the project and suitability, please email Dr. Eric Wan(yfwan@hku.hk).

Membership

• Member of American Statistical Association
• Member of Royal Statistical Society
• Member of NeuroGEN (Neurological and Mental Health Global Epidemiology Network)
• Member of Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine
• Affiliate member of Hong Kong College of Family Physicians.
• Corresponding Editor for Statistics of Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery

Collaborative institutions

• Harvard University, US
• Yale University, US
• Oxford University, UK
• Cambridge University, UK
• Peking University, China
• Capital Medical University, China
• Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR